A candidate who was performing Nazi salutes outside and inside the Glasgow election count has been ordered to leave by the Returning Officer.

Derek Jackson, standing as the Liberal Party candidate, was escorted from the hall at the Emirates Arena by police officers.

Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister is expected at the count this afternoon.

Annemarie O’Donnell had told Jackson and his supporters to leave after complaints had been made about their behaviour.

She said Jackson and a few followers were causing alarm.

Jackson said he would be making the “strongest protest” and claimed it was a “subversion of the democratic process”.

They were in the hall for around an hour after they entered marching goose-step style and saluting.

Ms O’Donnell, who is in charge of the election and count in Glasgow, told Jackson they were being asked to leave over “provocative behaviour”.

She said: “You are putting people in this hall into a state of fear and alarm.”

Earlier, police intervened as Jackson, a candidate in the Southside seat in Glasgow, where Nicola Sturgeon and Anas Sarwar are candidates, approached the count hall with followers doing Nazi salutes.

The small group turned up outside the Emirates with two followers wearing black suits, white shirts and black ties with dark glasses. They each had a yellow star pinned to their jacket fronts with “UNVAX” written on it.

Glasgow Times:

Jackson denied the star was related to the yellow star Jewish people were forced to wear by Nazis during the second world war.

He denied the gesture they made was a Nazi salute.

Instead, he claimed it was a “love salute”.

Officers approached the trio as they walked towards the entrance of the Emirates where the votes are being counted.

Jackson said they were protesting against covid vaccinations.

He said: “We don’t want people encountering unvaccinated people and being worried. We are unvaccinated.”

When the Glasgow Times challenged him before he entered the hall on the Nazi salute. He replied: “It’s a love salute. We love everybody. Do you love everybody?”

He said he was standing against the hate crime legislation.

Jackson added: “I think people should be allowed to hate.”

Police Scotland was approached for comment.